About Us 2024-09-26T11:01:24-04:00

Mission Statement

RWA’s mission is to promote wireless opportunities for rural telecommunications companies through advocacy and education in a manner that best represents the interests of its membership.

Advocate for Rural Wireless Carriers

RWA is a trade association representing rural wireless carriers who each serve fewer than two million (2,000,000) subscribers. RWA’s members have joined together to speed delivery of new, efficient, and innovative wireless technologies to the populations of remote and underserved sections of the country.

RWA’s members provide mobile and fixed wireless services to their subscribers and support the subscribers of larger carriers while roaming in their rural service areas. RWA’s members are small businesses serving or seeking to serve secondary, tertiary and rural markets. Our membership is comprised of both independent wireless carriers and wireless carriers that are affiliated with rural telephone companies.

Supporting Rural America, Strengthens All of America – Advocacy. Education. Relationships.

Board of Directors

Chris Townson, President
Chris Townson, PresidentCEO, DTC Communications (TN)
Eric Cramer, Vice President
Eric Cramer, Vice PresidentPresident and CEO, RiverStreet Wireless (NC)
Allen Bennion, Secretary
Allen Bennion, SecretarySupervisor in Wireless Operations, STRATA Networks (UT)
Jana Wallace, Treasurer
Jana Wallace, TreasurerCEO, Panhandle Tel. Coop. (PTCI) (OK)
Mike Laskowsky
Mike LaskowskyNetwork Operations Manager, United Wireless (KS)
Glenn Ishihara
Glenn IshiharaPresident of NTCH
Kelley Dunne
Kelley DunneCEO, National Wireless Workforce
Michael Dawkins
Michael DawkinsVP of Broadband & Enterprise, NextGen/GTA
Chris Ruhl
Chris RuhlGeneral Manager, Cross Wireless LLC
Jake Baldwin, Ex Officio
Jake Baldwin, Ex OfficioCEO, Bravado Wireless (OK)
John Nettles, Ex Officio
John Nettles, Ex OfficioPresident, Pine Belt Wireless (AL)

Our Team

Carri Bennet
Carri BennetGeneral Counsel
Michele Giroux
Michele GirouxChief Operating Officer
Stephen Sharbaugh
Stephen SharbaughRegulatory Counsel
Ryan Gillcrist
Ryan GillcristPolicy Counsel

Standing Committees

The Public Policy Committee is tasked with assessing the impact of legislative and regulatory policy developments that stand to affect the operations of small, rural wireless carriers. This committee helps shape the association’s legislative and regulatory agendas and public policy initiatives in order to better serve the associations’ members.

  • Eric Cramer, Riverstreet Networks – Chair
  • Amit Ancikovsky, Ceragon
  • Allen Bennion, Strata Networks
  • Jim Brake, Ceragon
  • Chris Crowe, t3 Broadband
  • Chad Duval, Moss Adams
  • Rob Faulkner, t3 Broadband
  • Javier Martin, Summa Networks
  • Lynn Merrill, Monte R. Lee & Company
  • John Nettles, Pine Belt
  • Chas Peterson, Harmoni Towers
  • Bert Potts, STRATA Networks
  • Jeff Smith, Vantage Point
  • Jerry Tilley, Nemont
  • Jana Wallace, PTCI/ Panhandle
  • Kelley Wells, PTCI/ Panhandle

The Education Committee guides the association in assessing its members’ educational needs. The committee provides educational briefings and resource recommendations to RWA’s members on technical, financial, operational, and marketing matters. The Educational Committee also serves as a clearinghouse for instructional material and educational webcasts that serve to inform RWA members about revenue generating opportunities and/or cost saving methodologies.

  • Allen Bennion, RINA Wireless – Chair
  • Jake Baldwin, Cross Wireless
  • Mike Dawkins, NextGen/GTA
  • Max Hahn, Baicells
  • Katie Heyl, Baicells
  • Javier Irizarry, Ceragon
  • Curtis Knobloch, Telispire
  • Alan Lewis, Hyde Company
  • Chris Ruhl, Cross Wireless
  • Jana Wallace, PTCI/Panhandle

RWA is a member-driven association and our annual membership investments are the primary funding source for RWA’s powerful and successful advocacy. The purpose of the committee is to increase our membership base, generate ideas for and activate new member services to continue to strengthen our association.

  • Mike Dawkins, NextGen/GTA – Chair
  • Kelley Dunne, AmeriCrew
  • Lynn Merrill, Monte R. Lee & Associates
  • Patrick Rhyne, Riazzi Rhyne & Swaim
  • Allen Bennion, Strata Networks
  • Kelley Wells, PTCI
  • Lori Wade, TelTech
  • Allison Kusenberger, Mavenir
  • Roger Schmitz, Telsasoft
  • Tanya Sullivan, PlusOne

The purpose of the Technology Committee is to assist the carrier membership in its ongoing efforts to advocate for just and fair opportunities within the regulatory and legislative processes, by providing the various and often detailed non-legal inputs needed to support the association’s FCC, Congressional and Administrative Agency filings.

  • Mike Laskowsky, United Wireless – Chair
  • John Baker, Mavenir
  • Bill Baldwin, Newaya
  • Allen Bennion, Strata Networks
  • Christopher Crowe, t3 Broadband
  • Kelley Dunne, AmeriCrew
  • Rob Falkner, t3 Broadband
  • Max Hahn, Baicells
  • Katie Heyl, Baicells
  • Min Huang, Amdocs
  • Javier Irizarry, Ceragon
  • Nick Martin, Bravado Wireless
  • Lynn Merrill, Monte R. Lee & Company
  • Michael Murphy, Nokia
  • John Nettles, Pine Belt
  • Greg Nohalty, t3 Broadband
  • Chad Norman, Bravado Wireless
  • Amit Patel, Nokia
  • Chris Ruhl, Cross Wireless
  • Roger Schmitz, Telsasoft
  • Howard Sears, NextGen/GTA
  • Varun Vashisht, Amdocs
  • Jana Wallace, PTCI
  • Alan Williamson, Mavenir
  • George Woodward, Trilogy Networks

Each year, the Nominating Committee issues a call for nominations for vacancies on the Board and associated committees and councils. The Nominating Committee reviews nominations and makes recommendations to the Board.

  • Jake Baldwin, Cross Wireless
  • Mike Laskowsky, United Wireless
  • John Nettles, Pine Belt
  • Chris Townson, DTC Communications
  • Jana Wallace, PTCI
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